Grind to a Halt
by I love Drabble
Summary: Casey Novak and Brian Cassidy meet over a crash in the coffee house. Just a cute story between my two favorite characters.
1. Some Jerk and Some Chick

A/N: I haven't seen this coupling before, so I thought I should try it out. I remember once ready and Casey and Ed Green one. That was pretty awesome. ANYWAYS I hope this works. This is my first SVU fanfiction.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

"Hey, were you been? I needed your advice on something. I called you at least an hour ago." Olivia asked as she looked up from the file she had been reading. She scanned Casey, to see if everything had been alright and noticed her coat's buttons were misbuttoned and could see the collar of her shirt underneath was unevenly popped.

"Sorry, some jerk bumped into me in the coffee shop and spilt coffee all over my clothes. So I had to go bike back home, change and come back." Casey responded as she took of her coat and tried to fix her collar and a sweater she wore over her shirt.

"What were you wearing before?" Elliot chimed in as he kicked his feet up on his desk and put his hand behind his head.

"Umm… a green blazer and a purple skirt."

"Good thing, he spilt coffee on it." Fin mumbled into his cup of coffee as he walked by.

"What is wrong with wha-"Casey started as she looked around the room and noticed the clock. "What the hell? I have a meeting in half an hour!" She quickly threw on her coat and looked at Olivia. "Sorry to leave so soon, I'll call you after, okay?" and before anyone had the chance to respond or make any comment on how one should never wear green and purple together, Casey span around and was about to make a quick dash to the elevators just as Captain Cragen led a man out of his office.

"So as I was saying Cap, I decided to take the week off, and ya know, just relax, catch up with some old friends, and enjoy the fall." The young man said with a smile and sipped his coffee from a paper cup. "Yuck, this thing is like an hour old, ya know, just this morning some chick walked into me and spilt coffee all over hers-"

And then the world just stopped for one second as some jerk and some chick collided for the second time in one morning. And for the second time this morning Casey Novak's clothes were covered in coffee.

"Whoa, there!" The young man said as he placed his now empty cup on a nearby desk and looked up at the person standing in front of him.

"What the hell?" Casey said as she took a step back and shook her hands dry.

"It's you!" was all they could say as they just looked at each other in disbelief.

Munch saw this as the perfect time to look away from his computer and finally pay attention to his suddenly quiet surroundings.

"Ah Casey, I see you have the honor of meeting one of the most charming men of the world, Detective Brian Cassidy," he peered over his shades, "and you Brian, get to meet one of New York's greatest, ADA Casey Novak." And with that, he nodded his head and returned to his work.

"Hey there, how you do-"was all that Brian could say before he was interrupted by a frantic Casey.

"What am I going to do? I have a meeting in thirty minutes, I can't run back home and change, Olivia, can I borrow your coat? No wait a second, I don't look good in leather. Damn it! I just got this thing dry cleaned, I can go with out a coat, I mean it is just a quick walk, but it's been quite chilly, maybe if I run…" Casey spat out as she frantically played with her hands.

Brian smiled at the frantic girl in front of him and smirked back at his old captain, who just rolled his eyes. He noticed that she didn't have the time to button up her coat and easily slid it off her shoulders and before Casey could respond he slipped of his navy hoodie and threw it on her. He then shouldered her ruined coat and slung Casey unto his other shoulder and started towards the elevators.

"So, I take it your meeting is in the DA's office?" Brian said with a satisfied smirk.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Casey yelled as she thumped on Brian's back with fisted hands while thanking herself for deciding to change into pants. Meanwhile, the whole squad room laughed at the sight, and the laughter carried out through the halls until they both reached elevators. Brian gently put Casey down on the floor and pressed the down button.

"Who in the world do you think you are?" Casey yelled at him and waved her arms around.

"Didn't you hear Munch? I am Brian Cassidy." He smiled at her.

"I am going to be late to this meeting, and it is going to be your entire fault." She scowled and stomped her foot on the ground and waited for the elevator to reach their floor.

"I can live with that, and anyway, without me you would still be in that squad room rambling on and cold."

And for the first time that morning, Casey stopped took a deep breath and noticed that for once she wasn't covered in coffee.

"You should be thanking me that I am not charging you with "frottage"."

Before Brian had the chance to respond the elevator door opened and they both stepped in as Casey buried her hands into the hoodie's pocket and Brian help and shook out her blue coat.

"Since you're wearing my hoodie, can I wear your coat?"

Casey rolled her eyes, and swatted Brian on the arm as the elevator door closed.


	2. Monday Day

Disclaimer: Don't own them.

Casey's office

"God… what time is it?" Casey asked to herself as she stretched her arms over her head and started to walk over to the couch on the opposite side of the room.

"Wake up. It is…" Casey glanced at her watch and rubbed her eyes. "Ten to midnight."

"I don't wanna… I am tired." Brian mumble rolled onto his back, and pulled his tee shirt up a little.

"Oh yeah, spilling your coffee and soup from lunch all over my coat and sleeping on my couch for the last four hours can really make one tired." Casey yawned and sat in front of Brian's face.

"Heh… that was pretty funny. At least we didn't have to pay for the soup." Brian mumbled and started to scratch his stomach.

"You know what's going to be funnier? When you pick up my coat from the dry cleaners tomorrow." Casey said with a smirk and titled her head.

"You know… today was fun wasn't?" Brian sat up and patted to the seat next to him.

"I have had better." Casey smiled and took the seat next to Brian.

"Can't wait till tomorrow though. There's this place I want to take you to for lunch." Brian yawned and hung his arms behind the couch.

"Oh yeah, cause today's lunch went by perfectly well." Casey crossed her arms and legs and leaned back into the couch. Brian rubbed her arm.

"Come on, it wasn't that bad."

Earlier that Monday.

"Here's the place." Brian opened the door to the diner and led Casey to a table by the window.

"You know I pass this place everyday to the office but I have never stepped in." Casey sat across Brian.

"They have great clam chowder" Brian tossed Casey's coat onto an empty chair next to him.

"Mm-hmm…" the lawyer pulled out a menu and flipped it over. "Is their BLT's any good?"

"Never had…" Brian looked out the window.

Casey put the menu back and looked around the place. It was small and smelt like fried food. There were a few people at the bar and two other tables with some coat and tie people in them. She looked across the table at Brian.

"He seems nice; I think we can be friends. I mean, I do need some out of the squad. Sure, he's part of some other squad… but not the same squad. Hell, I am not even part of the squad." Casey thought as she played with a pepper shaker. She traced circles around the top and looked out the window.

Brian saw from the corner of his eye Casey playing with the pepper shaker. He turned and looked her. Casey saw this and turned to face him, still tracing circles on the top of the shaker.

"How'd the meeting go?" Brian leaned back into his chair and crossed his arms.

"It was crap." Casey looked around and tried to make eye contact with a waitress who was leaning against the bar. Once she got her attention she smiled and waited until the waitress reached the table.

"What you want?" She looked and Casey then saw Brian on the other side of the table. She smacked her gum once and winked at him while trying to smile seductively. Casey noticed how the reaction on Brian's face was pure discomfort. Casey snorted out a laugh which made everyone give her a look. Casey started to sink in to her chair.

"Umm… Yeah… I'd like a cup of clam chowder and a Dr.Pepper." Brian forced a smile at the waitress.

"What about you?" The waitress pointed at Casey with her pen.

"I'll have a BLT and a Sprite." Casey buried her face into her hands, refusing to look at Brian or the waitress.

As soon as the waitress walked out of earshot, Casey peaked up from her hands. Brian blinked once, then twice, and then ended up chuckling to himself.

"Shut up…" Casey murmured into her hands as she felt her face turn red.

"There is no need to be jealous"

"Of what?" Now Casey was laughing along.

They both fell into a comfortable silence, with both of them starring down at the table and every now and then glancing at each other.

"Soo…" Casey started, "What did you think about the detectives down at SVU?"

"Let us see… Munch was like my older brother. He is a cynical man."

"That he is" Casey looked up as the waitress came back with their drinks.

"Umm… Stabler is a crazy man. At first I didn't think he liked me, but I don't know, I think that is just how he is."

There was a long pause.

"What about Olivia?" Casey swirled her drink with the straw.

"Benson… We s—" Brian was interrupted by the waitress practically throwing Casey's sandwich down at her, and then gently placed Brian's soup in front of him.

"Misses, I asked for a cup, you gave me a bowl." Brian started to give back his bowl of clam chowder.

"No, Hun, that's alright, keep your bowl." She winked and turned around. "And its Miss for you." The waitress called over her shoulder. Casey opened her mouth as if to say something.

"Say anything and I'll spill soup on your coat."

She then closed her mouth and smirked.

"Where were we? Oh yeah! What about Benson?" She picked up a chip and tossed it into her mouth.

"We slept together." Brian looked down at the table and refused to look Casey in the eye.

"Oh, I see." Casey pulled the toothpick out of her sandwich and took a bite.

"Yeah…"

"Was it any good?" Casey joked.

"I don't know, why don't you judge for yourself?" Brian smirked and broke up some crackers into his soup.

"That's alright; I don't go that way." Casey replied with a smirk of her own and wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"That's a shame because boys are more fun." Brian sounded disappointed.

"I was kidding! And how do you know if boys are more fun?" Casey reached over for one of Brian crackers.

"College… but now that I think about it, girls are A LOT more fun, now it's your turn." Brian took one of Casey's chips.

"My turn?"

"Yes Miss Novak, your turn, you have to tell me a secret, I told you one of mine."

"So, this is like truth or truth." Casey took a sip from her Sprite.

"Truth or truth?"

"Yeah, it's like truth or dare, only you have to ask specific questions and can only have four "random secrets". My friends and I used to play this whenever we wanted to know more about each other. Since, you just used a random secret… hmm… I am scared of monkeys." Casey took a bite from her sandwich, chewed and swallowed. "Now I get to ask you. What is your full name?"

"Brian Grant Cassidy. What's yours?"

"Casey Leigh Novak… Why did you leave Special Victims?"

"It was just too much…" Brian looked at his soup. "Can our questions not be based around work?"

"Yeah." Casey nodded and regretted asking the question.

"What's your natural hair color?" Brian leaned over the table and brushed Casey's bangs out of her face.

"Red." She swatted his hand away from her hair. "An ex thought I looked good as a blonde. Stupid bastard. Now I have to wait and grow it out… random secret."

"Ooo! Now you have three left… umm… When you were at your meeting I smelt your coat and thought it smelt great." Brian blushed and took a giant gulp from his Dr. Pepper. "Your turn! Random secret, for you too."

"Two left! I would like to be friends with you but I think you are very good looking." Casey looked out the window and took a sip from her Sprite.

"Same." Brian gave Casey a full smile and she returned it with one of her own.

"So… whose turn is it too ask questions?" Brian asked and continued to eat his lunch.

"Mine." Casey smiled and ate her BLT.

…..

"What are you talking about? It wasn't that bad? When I asked you what you thought about the waitress, you spilt your soup all over my coat!" Casey turned and faced him.

"But I learned what your bra size is. Now, that wasn't that bad." Brian leaned his head back. "AND I have one more "random secret""

"Oh you do, now do you?"

"Yeah, I am saving this one though." He closed his eyes and smiled.

"Fine, I guess, anyway. I have to go." Casey stood up and fixed her pants. "Now leave, so I can change into my sweats and bike home."

"Woah there, young lady! You are not going to bike in the middle of night in New York! I am driving you home!" Brian Jumped of the couch and gently grabbed her shoulders.

"I have does this before, now stop acting like my brother." Casey shrugged of Brian's grip.

"I am driving you home."

Casey opened her mouth to protest.

"Don't make me pick you up and put you in my car, now come on." He looked down at her.

"Fine." Casey stepped around him and started to pick up her papers and things.

"Hurry up, We have to walk to my car, I'll pick you up at around 7, then tomorrow you are going to leave the office early enough that won't bike in the dark. Alright?"

"It's not my fault we are here this late! You fell asleep on my couch!" Casey and Brian left her office and locked the door.

"What? You could have woken me up anytime! Anytime!"

"I tried! But all you did was moan and complain! You even called me mom!"

"Maybe because you act just like her!" Brian threw his hands into the air.

"Take that back!" Casey pressed the elevator button and slipped on the hoodie she was holding.

"Will not, Casey Leigh Novak!" Brian said playfully and pulled up the hood to cover her face.

"Humph" Casey left the hood on, crossed her arms under her breast and entered the elevator.

Brian followed her in.

"Oh come on, you don't need to push 'em up. I already know the real size, can't fool me." Brain pointed at her chest. She then dropped her arms and slapped his arm.

"Honestly." And with that the door closed.

A/N: Sorry for the long and crappy chapter, I'll try to make the next one better.


	3. Crunchitize Me!

A/N: This chapter was a lot longer then what I expected; in fact the next chapter I am writing was supposes to go with this one. I actually feel bad because they are starting to get out of character. I guess I try to put them back next chapter. Thanks for the reviews, guys! They really mean a lot:D

Disclaimer: Don't own them.

Casey laid on her bed. She was in the state of mind where she was awake enough of to know what she was thinking, but still out enough that in about five minutes she would have a vague interpretation of what was going through her mind. She rolled over onto her back and kicked the covers to the side. Casey absentmindedly traced circles around her belly-button, very similarly of what she did with the peppershaker yesterday. She let out a giant yawn, stared at the ceiling fan she left on and stole a glance of the small alarm clock.

"Six-thirty. Brian is going to be here in thirty minutes." Casey groaned and rolled onto her side so she faced the clock. "Brian… he is kind of cute. I wonder, if we were to start going out?" Casey thought to herself and snorted at the thought. "That probably will never happen. It would be weird; I mean, I wouldn't mind, it's just that I am sure he would rather go out with someone else. Someone who isn't part of the Justice League! Hahaha! You go Casey! Make fun of your job and the justice system! Anyway... yesterday's lunch was fun. He is really easy to talk too. BUT if we did go out, and get married, that would be hilarious." She smiled to herself and scratched the tip of her nose.

"Casey Leigh Cassidy" She mumbled out loud and then suddenly awake, she shoot up into a sitting position and let out laugh. Casey fell back on to her bed and rubbed her eyes. "God, that sounds ridiculous."

She rolled out of bed and made a small thump when she landed on the floor. Casey stood up and stretched out her back and glanced at the clock again. Six-thirty-seven.

"Great, twenty-three minutes." She started to walk towards the kitchen and turned on the light. She blinked a couple of times and pulled out a box of Captain Crunch. "Crunchitize me Cappin!" Casey said to herself as she poured herself a bowl. She then opened her fridge and got a carton of milk and poured herself a glass. Casey picked up her items and started to walk to her room, then turned around and picked up her spoon. "Every time." She growled at the spoon.

Once she got back to her room, Casey turned on the television sat on her bed. She poured some milk from the glass into her cereal and watched the news. She saw the time at the corner of her screen and decided that she'll take it slow, there was no hurry for her to get to work that early. And when Brian came, they could have some time to talk.

----

Brian was tying his shoes in front of his door. He looked over at his watch. Six-forty. He grabbed his keys and walked out. Brian stood in front of the elevator and when it finally came he stepped in and leaned against one of the walls, entirely grateful that he was the only one there.

"Casey Leigh Novak, what a name." he thought to himself. "I mean that is so cool, Casey. That's her real name! I thought it would be Cassandra, but nope, it's Casey!" Brian stepped out of the elevator, walked through the parking garage and entered his car. He started the engine and left the garage, lost in his thoughts of Casey Novak, some chick.

"I wonder what would happen if we were to go out?" Brian laughed at himself. "Maybe if we did, it'll be better then me and Benson. I could take her to real dates. Hmm… That probably won't happen though. She can probably get any guy in this whole city! Those lips!" Brian smiled and turned on his radio. Six-forty-eight. "So where was I? Oh yeah, making up reasons of why I can't go out with Casey Leigh! Well, not making up reasons, but more of pointing them out. Like, work. I am a narcs detective; I am going to spend most of time working, heck even the weekends. Such a shame though." Brian sighed to himself and stopped the car. He stepped out and slipped on the hoodie of yesterday. "It smells just like her!" he thought to himself. He then waited outside the buildings door and waited for a neighbor to open the door. Brian ran up the stairs to her room and checked his watch. Six-fifty-nine. He waited until it turned exactly seven then knocked.

-----

Casey looked at the clock on the bottom of the screen, and as soon as she saw it turn to seven she heard a knock at her door. Casey jumped of her bed, placed the bowl on the floor and ran to the door.

"Hey." Casey said as she opened the door and gestured for Brian to come in.

"G'morning" he said with a smile and entered. "Nice outfit."

Casey looked down at what she was wearing and laughed.

"What? Don't you think this is court appropriate? A green tank and blue sweats?"

"Well, if you change into a yellow tank, I think that would be more appropriate."

Casey rolled her eyes and walked to her bedroom with Brian following her. She walked into the bathroom and closed the door while Brian dived onto her bed and closed his eyes.

"Let me get ready." Casey called from the bathroom.

"Hey, Casey Leigh?"

"Yeah?"

"You up for a game of truth or truth?"

"Bring it on."

"Can I call you Casey Leigh?"

"No." Casey turned on her sink to wet her tooth brush. "What's your favorite color?" Scrubbing sounds could be heard as Casey brushed her teeth.

"I am surprised you never asked that before… I would guess dark blue. I take it yours is lime green." Brian buried his head into the lime green comforter and took a huge breath. Casey responded with a gurgled 'shut up'.

"Would you ever consider starting a relationship with me?" Brian opened one of his eyes and eyed the door.

There was a long pause as Casey continued to brush her teeth, then she kicked opened her door, spat into her sink, and looked at Brian with a raised eyebrow.

"Well?" He asked as he sat up on her bed and smirked.

Casey rinsed her mouth and grinned, and while drying her face with a towel she said. "Are you asking me out?"

"Not necessarily. I am just wondering if you would want to have any form of a relationship with me." Brian shrugged. "You know, friends, more than friends, a work one, a sibling like one, I don't know, any."

"I'll go with any." Casey left the door open and started to wash her face. When she started scrubbing her face she asked. "Random secret."

"You can't do that! You used them all up yesterday!"

"Well… it restarts every game." Casey rinsed the soap off her face. "And yes you can roll over from the previous game." She added when she saw Brian opening his mouth in protest.

"Fine. I think you should wear your hair up today." Brian fell back on to the bed.

"Really? I wasn't planning on it." Casey said as she stepped out of the bathroom brushing her hair. She chuckled to herself and sat next to where Brian was laying. She placed the brush on her bed stand and sat on Brian's stomach. He let out a soft umph and opened his eyes. Brian opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted when Casey grabbed his cheeks and started to make funny faces.

"Since you can't ask anything at this moment, I guess it's my turn again." Casey tried to say in her most serious tone. She stopped playing with his face but kept her hands on the side of Brian's face. "Would you consider starting a relationship with me?" She smiled and looked down at his surprised reaction. He then propped himself with his elbows, with Casey still on top of him, and smirked.

"I'll go with any."

Casey let out her first full smile in months. The complete kind too, with the squinty eyes and teeth showing. They both broke out into laughter and Casey rolled off of Brian. He fell back onto the bed, and both laid there next to each other, laughing their heads off. Casey turned to her side and saw the time. She stopped laughing and stood up, still smiling. Brian stopped laughing and sat up.

"What you doing?" Brian asked as he saw Casey walk to her closet.

"I do have to go to work, Brian, unlike some people." She pulled out a simple black skirt and a light purple button up shirt. She then walked over to her dresser and pulled out some black hosiery. Casey saw Brian staring at her and walked into the bathroom to change. Five minutes later she popped out while putting a clip in her hair to keep it.

Brian hopped off her bed and followed her to the front door were she slipped on her heals and grabbed her briefcase. They looked at each other a smiled.

"Let's go!" Brian grabbed Casey's hand and led her out of her apartment. He started to drag her to the stairs.

"Couldn't we have taken the elevator?" Casey complained as they ran down the stairs, nearly tripping at every step.

"Come on, Casey Leigh, it's not that bad." He turned around facing Casey just as she tripped and fell into him. "Can't take you anywhere."

"Shut up." Casey grumbled and straightened out her shirt and skirt. Brian picked her up bridal style and ignored the screams of protests. He ran the rest of the way down the stairs, and by the end Casey was laughing with him. Brian placed her down and they both walked towards his car.

"Casey Leigh, random secret." Brian said as he hopped into the driver's side.

"I think Olivia is hot." She blushed and put on her seat belt after slamming the door shut.

"Who doesn't?" Brian smiled and started the car. "Now, I can ask you another question, because you did two in a row…"

Casey smiled and playfully slapped his arm.

"I swear I am going to get a bruise."


End file.
